The idea of solidarity movements as a commitment to helping others or for the common good remains centralto this day . However , contemporary organizations “[…] have a genuinepolitical orientation ” ( ibid , p . 10 ). Therefore , “[…] their actions also include political claim-making addressed to power holder ” ( ibid ). That ’ s why , “ participants in the solidarity movement act collectively with a clear political aim , and their actions are pursued to the benefit of other people ” ( Passy , 2001 , p . 7 ). In addition , the focus of mobilizing has shifted from “[…] intellectual , libertarian , and humanist elites , Christians , and worker nourished in socialist tradition […]” to “[…] the new middle class […]” ( ibid , p . 11 ). Depending on their concerns , solidarity movements may be “[…] active in different areas and on different levels ” ( ibid , p . 11 ). This means that other social groups as well as regions may be addressed . Furthermore , contemporary movements can be active at the local , national or even international level ( ibid , p . 12 ).
Internationally , movements such as Fridays for Future and the newest movements for Palestinian solidarity are currently known . Solidarity movements thus have a far-reaching historywith origins in the general idea of charity . In recent years , they have increasingly focused on the political sphere , with the centralconcern continuing to be supporting others collectively or enforcing the respective goals of their own organizations through collective action .
The influence of social media After this definition of the theme of solidarity movements , it becomes clear how they undergo changes . Particularly at the international level , these changes have been shaped , not least , by the targeteduse of social media to organize , mobilize and amplify their messages . The following section is now about explicitly analyzing and explaining the role of social media in social movements in general , as the solidarity movements being part of it .
In general , it is clear that past solidarity movements such as the Black Lives Matter campaign or the Free Tibet movement were influenced by social media platforms in their reach . In this way , geographical barriers that sometimes make it difficult for the movements to gain wide acceptance and dissemination can be overcomeby means of the digitalworld . These are usually not limited to the digital domain but are increasingly constituting “[…] hybridization of online and offline practices of resistance ” ( Lim , 2013 , as cited in , Stewart & Schultze , 2019 , p . 2 ).
Most likely social media thereforeare used to coordinate action of protestlike in the example of the Arab Spring . Moreover , by the use of these platforms it is possible for the social movements in general to extend their “[…] communication strategies and the forms of interaction and relationships they support ” ( Elliot & Earl , 2018 , as cited in , Wang & Tracy , 2023 , p . 5 ). The digitaluse makes it easier to organize . This semiautonomous control makes it possible “[…] to be more nimble and agile – able to mobilize at rapid speed and in response to changing circumstances ( Hensby , Sibthorpe , & Driver , 2012 , as cited in , Wang & Tracy , 2023 , p . 5 ).
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